Civic Association cocktail party at Shell Factory

May 31, 2017

It will be a day of socializing and of learning what's next for the North Fort Myers area as a business destination.

The North Fort Myers Civic Association will hold a membership cocktail party at the Shell Factory's Dolphin Room, 2787 N. Tamiami Trail, on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. as a way to get members together, maybe bring in new ones, and to hear what's going on with the area following the recently finished market study.

The event is called "The North Fort Myers Renaissance Part II," and will act as a sequel to the huge renaissance kickoff held at the Shell Factory nearly two years ago to announce the market study being done on the area.

Shell Factory owner Tom Cronin was the man behind the idea, according to Michael Land, civic association president, who said it was a great way to bring in current and prospective members.

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"Tom is making the room available to us, providing the entertainment (by Tona Wong), hor d'ourvres and the first cocktail. It should be a nice affair," Land said. "He reached out to us and offered this as a way to increase membership."

Rachel Busch, projects manager of the Lee County Economic Development Office, will be the guest speakers, who will discuss the market assessment and her 13 recommendations to the commissioners, for which Land said he plans to give the association's 13 recommendations.

The event will also have a free raffle following the Busch presentation.

Before the cocktail party, there will be two separate seminars at 4 p.m. One is a community forum, where people in the different area communities will have a chance to discuss issues they may have in common with other communities and hopefully get some solutions.

Also, there will be an organizational meeting for a group to support a local Cultural Arts Center. Land said the group is looking for others to join, especially those who are in the arts, whether they be performers or teachers.

"Part of our problem is our ability to find people with a leaning in cultural arts as a way to do that meeting," Land said.

The next big event by the civic association will be the hurricane and lightning seminar, co-sponsored by Storm Smart, on Tuesday, June 20 at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Rec Center.